If you torment people Allaah will punish you

'Urwa reported on the authority of his father that Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam happened to pass by some people in Syria who had been made to stand in the sun and olive-oil was being poured upon their heads.

He said:

What is this? It was said: They are being punished for (not paying) the Kharaaj (the government revenue). Thereupon he said: Allah would punish those who torment people in this world (without any genuine reason).

Sahiih Muslim Hadiith No. 2613

What we learn from this narration

There is a stern warning in this for those who punish people unjustly. Allaah will punish them. This does not include punishments for cases such as Qisaas, Huduud, or Ta'ziiraat.

What Hishaam did shows his gheerah for Islamic legislation both in terms of speech and action and his commanding the people in power at the time and others to do good and forbidding them from evil.

In this narration we learn that the people in power are to respond to the advice of scholars swiftly and enact it as fast as possible.